Highlights of Vibrant Vancouver – A City To Savour

Canada’s vastness means it not only has natural wealth in abundance, but some seriously impressive urban charms too. None more so than Vancouver, rightfully deemed one of the best cities in the world in which to live.

Most folk are aware of Vancouver’s stylish waterfront, with its ferries, yachts, seagulls, people; to-ing and fro-ing, hither and thither. It’s also known as a gateway city for many a great combination trip; pair it up with a road trip along the often overlooked Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, for example, or a visit to theGreat Bear Rainforest, the world’s largest remaining temperate rainforest. Or head down to Seattle across the US border to visit its uniqueSpace Needleor learn more about its influential grunge music scene of the 90s.

But don’t even think about leaving too soon – there is so much to see and do in this friendly and open city. Here are some of my favourite spots that give Vancouver its unique appeal.

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Stanley Park

Where west coast rainforest meets a reflective seascape and towering pillars of concrete, metal and glass.

This is the urban oasis that is Stanley Park.

Where Stanley Park meets Vancouver’s Downtown district

The Park fans out for 400 hectares from the western edge of the downtown area and provides a haven of tranquility for romantic encounters, creative inspiration and therapeutic musings. Gardens, totem poles, hiking trails and wildlife beckon local residents and visitors, just a stone’s throw from the buzz of city life and commerce. Every modern metropolis should have its own version of Stanley Park.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Wibbly, wobbly and wonderful. Situated a few minutes north of downtown Vancouver, the dizzying heights ofVancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge and the surrounding temperate rainforest make for an enthralling and educational day out.

The park owners epitomise the very best in environmental stewardship. As their website states:

By seeking to reduce the impact on the environment beyond measures required by governmental permit or rule, we will produce a better environment, conserving natural resources and ensuring our long-term sustainability.

Swaying high above the Capilano River, the bridge is the only access point into the main park. Heights aren’t my thing at the best of times, so this was going to be a challenge. It was worth the nerves though. Read my companion Kathryn’s post about the park’s history, and my extraordinary courage(!).

Sea Village

To most intents and purposes, Sea Village looks like a picturesque, but regular residential enclave. But just stand by the dockside and watch for a minute. The water sloshes and laps up against the outer walls. You may start to notice things don’t seem quite right. That’s because it’s not just the water that’s moving, but the houses themselves.

Above and below: The floating houses of Sea Village, off False Creek, Vancouver

These are floating homes, moored at one of only 2 locations in town where legitimate floating accommodation exists. Unsurprisingly, this colourful row of buoyant abodes attracts hordes of curious passers-by who, intrigued, stop to investigate – without wanting to stare for too long. The usual tactic is to pretend to look around at other things for a few seconds, before turning back to take another look – and hopefully some good pictures. I should know, I was one of them.

The unique construction, history and regulations of the village is explained in more detailin this article.

Gastown’s Iconic Steam Clock

Every quarter of an hour, this tick-tocking little landmark in historic Gastown (Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood) comes to life, spluttering clouds of vapour into the air and whistling shrilly.

It provides an obvious photo-call opportunity for the gathered crowds surrounding it, but its popular presence has amore interesting originthan you might think. It’s one of the many stories that illustrate the quirky vibes of Vancouver.

The district has changed a lot since my first visit to the famous public market several years ago. Back then it was already a foodie mecca, with a seemingly infinite range of exotic fast food stalls serving up pots of take-away nosh. Today, it’s more epicurean and offers the highest calibre of artisanal food, along with gifts, arts & crafts and some classy ethnic clothing.

It’s really difficult to walk past any of the outlets without wanting to sample everything on display. We succumbed just the once though, at Benton Brothers, who say: ‘Oozy, stinky, runny, salty, earthy, pungent, mild, creamy, hard, soft – cheese is our passion’. So how could we resist?

Benton Brothers – where cheese rules!

The Tastes of the Town

It’s a shame when a tight schedule leaves no time to sup and savour the local flavours of a place. Fortunately, unlike our Royal counterparts, we were able to include a trip toGranville Island Brewing and a couple of visits toCactus Club Cafevenues, one by Canada Place and the other on West Broadway.

While both outlets cater to a variety of palates, my travel partner and I found our preferences to be quite similar! For liquid refreshment, the brewery’s Hey Day Hefeweizen blend topped the bill for both of us.

As hungry travellers, we were also equally impressed by the Cactus Club Café’s famous Feenie Burger, so named after its creator, Canadian chef Robert Feenie – the restaurant’s appointed ‘Food Concept Architect’ no less. I’m no burger connoisseur (if that’s not a contradiction in terms), but it’s up there among the best I’ve tasted.

There’s so much more to savour than I’ve got space for here – for more on Vancouver’s culinary hotspots, check out local expert Johanna Read’s mouth-watering take onappetite-inducing Vancouver at the Boutique Travel Blog.

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre & GMS Observatory

For stargazing purposes, being at sea level is not verypful. Not only are you at the mercy of coastal mists but the dense atmosphere means you’re observing the night sky through layers of air turbulence and tiny particles.

Add to that the light pollution generated by any large urban area and it makes for a challenging location from which to inspire the next generation of budding space boffins.But Vancouver is nothing if not progressive, and theH.R. Macmillan Space Centreand the associated GMS Observatory in Vanier Park provide a riveting range of exhibits and events, from planetarium shows and interactive science stations, to live presentations and observing sessions.

The farthest reaches of the galaxy may not be visible from here, but there is much to learn from studying our Moon or fellow planets, especially when guided by one of the knowledgeable volunteers who run the sessions. The Space Centreis a non-profit community resource, and as they state on their website:

“Through innovative programming, exhibits and activities, our goal is to educate, inspire and evoke a sense of wonder about the Universe, our planet and space exploration”

Eternal Appeal

Undoubtedly, Iwill visit Canada againin my lifetime, or at least I hope to. I’ve explored but a tiny corner of this incredibly diverse and welcoming land, and any opportunity to visit a new part will be grabbed with both hands. But if my next visit happens to be Vancouver again, it’ll be no hardship, because it’s a city to savour many times over.

14 Responses

Vancouver is such a great city! I only had a day there at the end of my bear watching trip to BC but really enjoyed exploring Stanley Park and Granville Island – so need to go back and explore the rest sometime soon!

Vancouver had so much to offer and you’ve captured the highlights beautifully. I was there with my family on the way to Tofino for a wedding. We all had such a great time. Especially loved Granville Island and the Capitano Bridge (although my daughter did freak out a little). Great city, definitely in my top 10!

It’s hard for me to read this, as it’s coming up to a year since I moved back to the UK from Vancouver and as summer approaches I am really missing it!

I agree that Granville Island is such a special place, in fact I’d like to recommend anyone going there to stop by my best friend’s Andrea’s cookie stand if they are at G Island, Short And Sweet Cookie Co, she makes the best flavoured shortbreads you can imagine and when this English girl was missing Blighty those biscuits were the only cure 🙂

Hi, I’m Sara, a traveller, writer and editor with a long-held love for astrotourism. Here at Travel Continuum I write about the places and people that make my journeys memorable. You’ll find personal accounts, honest opinions, travel tips and inspiration, plus encouragement to try a little stargazing around the world. My goal is to make the experience come alive, whether it’s driving a 25-foot RV motorhome across the Pacific coast of Canada or observing a total eclipse of the Sun. From intriguing tales of everyday life to out-of-this-world adventures, I’d love you to come along for the ride.